I'm having a similar problem with my elderly cat. She hangs out within about a 12 foot radius of what she considers “her spot.” So I moved the cat box closer to her domain. lol I've taken the lid off because I don't think she likes it. I try to keep the box cleaned out, because she doesn't like it dirty either. But she STILL keeps peeing on the floor in front of the box. Sometimes when I watch her, I notice her backing up to the side of the box. Now if she were doing this on a cold surface I would think she probably had an infection, but the plastic box? It's so frustrating and she's ruining the hardwood floor that's been just fine without her for 90 years!
Oh yeah, and I tried puting newspaper down, but the pee just ran off it. I could by puppy pads, but I really can't afford them.
By the way, I had another cat the same age who went to live under a dresser and started going to the bathroom there. It turned out that her nervous system was deteriorating. I didn't realize, but my vet noticed it eventually.
Heather